OLDHAM ATHLETIC manager Iain Dowie is hoping to become the manager to bring out the best in former Cardiff City winger Josh Low.

The ex-Wales Under-21 international will today complete his free transfer move to Boundary Park after nearly three years at Ninian Park.

Low is still only 23, but three clubs, Bristol Rovers, Leyton Orient and now Cardiff, have already released him.

But Dowie is hoping the Bristol-born wide man will enjoy a new lease of life at Boundary Park.

"I'm not going to pretend to be the oracle and say I'll get the best out of him, but we're going to work hard with him and hopefully we can make him the player I always thought he could be," said Dowie.

"Josh has got to restart his career - he knows that. You'll have to ask Lennie (Lawrence) what happened to him at Cardiff. That's nothing to do with me.

"But I think Josh coming here is our good fortune. I think he'll be a threat and I think he's a decent acquisition for us. He will definitely bring something extra to our squad."

Former City manager Frank Burrows brought Low to Ninian Park, initially on loan, during the 1999-2000 season.

He was a key player in City's promotion-winning side of 2000-01 under Alan Cork and was named in the Professional Footballers' Association's team of the season for Division Three.

But Low started the last campaign badly and the confidence drained from his game. He made 22 league appearances for the Bluebirds last season, but half of those were as a substitute.

The winger is blessed with pace and a good physique, but his final ball and disappointing goal-scoring record have let him down. Dowie will be looking to improve that side of his game.

"Josh is a quality player. He will bring pace and directness to the team," added the Latics manager. "Hopefully, he will make Cardiff regret letting him go when we go to Ninian Park later this season."

Low impressed Dowie when he played two trial games for the Latics, against Newcastle and Sheffield Wednesday.

Dowie wanted to sign him before Saturday so he could face his former club, but Lawrence insisted on the deal not being completed until today. Low is expected to make his Latics debut at Peterborough tomorrow night.

"Maybe Josh needs a new challenge, I don't know," said Dowie. "He's a player that impressed me when I watched him a couple of years ago.

"I saw him two or three times when I was scouting for QPR and I made a note of him. The rest, as they say, is history."